News from the Library of Congress

January 8, 2007

Journalist John Dickerson to Discuss His New Biography at the Library on Feb. 6

test A dinner date with Lyndon B. Johnson, rallying with Martin Luther King Jr., late-night phone calls from President Richard Nixon: These are but a few tales to tell from the life of newswoman Nancy Dickerson.

John Dickerson, chief political correspondent for "Slate," will discuss and sign copies of his new biography, "On Her Trail: My Mother, Nancy Dickerson, TV News’ First Woman Star," at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 6, in the West Dining Room, sixth floor, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C.

Part of the Center for the Book’s "Books & Beyond" author series, the program is being cosponsored by the Library’s Serial and Government Publications Division. It is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Nancy Dickerson was the first female member of the Washington, D.C., television news corps and the only woman covering many of the iconic moments of the 1960s. She was the first reporter to speak to President John F. Kennedy after his inauguration; she was on the National Mall with King during the march on Washington, D.C.; she had dinner with Johnson the night after President Kennedy was assassinated; she received a phone call from a rambling President Nixon regarding an earlier press conference addressing the Vietnam War; and she even threw a party for President Ronald Reagan days before his inauguration.

An experienced journalist, John Dickerson spent 12 years covering politics and public affairs for Time magazine, concluding with four years as the magazine’s White House correspondent. He has written extensively about George W. Bush and appears regularly on NPR, Fox and MSNBC.

The Serial and Government Publications Division maintains one of the most extensive newspaper collections in the world. Exceptionally strong in U.S. newspapers, holding more than 9,000 titles published in the last three centuries, the division also maintains and services a large collection of overseas newspapers and extensive collections of current periodicals, comic books and government publications. For more information, visit www.loc.gov/rr/news/.

Established in 1977, the Center for the Book uses the resources of the Library of Congress to promote books, reading, literacy and libraries. For information about its events, projects, publications and national reading promotion partners, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook.